Kent Preservationists Hope to Save Stephenson House
Preservationists in Kent are rallying to preserve the Stephenson House, one of the last remnants of the community's days as a center of the region's agricultural industry. Built in 1889, the wood frame house was once at the heart of an area of thriving farms which produced fruits and vegetables for Seattle and Tacoma. But now the building is surrounded by industrial and retail development, and the pressure is on to tear the structure down for more development.
The Stephenson House is not an officially designated historic structure, and therefore it's not protected by historic preservation laws. But that doesn't mean preservationists have no options. Some Kent residents have partnered with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation in an attempt to save the house, and the Trust placed it its 2006 Most Endangered Historic Properties List. The house is the only King County building on the 2006 list.
Preservationists were dealt a setback this month when the Kent Hearing Examiner rejected an appeal by the Trust of a city finding that the house had no historic value. It's unclear whether the house will be torn down. "I am, needless to say, disappointed, as this decision has ramifications for historic resources in the future as well," says Chris Moore, field director for the Trust.
Future attempts to preserve historic buildings in Kent may be easier. This year, the Kent City Council adopted an historic preservation ordinance, and it is expected to sign an "inter-local" agreement with the King County Landmarks Commission to administer the ordinance. John Mergens, executive director of the Greater Kent Historical Society, says Kent still has several historic buildings. "We need to get these older homes on an [historic] register," he says.
For more information on the Stephenson House, contact Chris Moore, 206 624.9449, cmoore@wa-trust.org.
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